Preliminary research shows some crops, like potatoes and squash, could be safely grown on a contaminated farm, while others, like lettuce and carrots, appear to absorb and store forever chemicals.
PFAS
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Ban on pesticides with PFAS feeds concern about unintended impacts
Some Maine farmers, including some of its 300 certified organic farmers, worry they soon won’t be able to defend their crops from pests, said Julie Ann Smith of the Maine Farm Bureau.
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Posted inTimes Record Opinion
Letter to the editor: The PFAS Brunswick really needs to worry about
As a resident of Brunswick, I have been struck by the care and attention the Town of Brunswick is making regarding the concerns for the presence of PFAS in the artificial turf installation proposed by Bowdoin College. However, there is a much greater PFAS problem facing the town that has not been given similar attention. […]
Posted inTimes Record
Brunswick approves Bowdoin College’s controversial athletics turf plan
The Brunswick Planning Board voted unanimously to approve Bowdoin College’s Pickard Field Athletic Complex renovation plan after determining three new turf fields would not contaminate the area with dangerous levels of PFAS, a class of chemicals that has been linked to cancer.
Posted inLocal & State
More than 1,000 Maine sites identified so far for testing of PFAS contamination
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection said in a report to a legislative committee that testing of an increasing number of sites likely will continue beyond a 2025 deadline.
Posted inLocal & State
PFAS levels in livestock can diminish if contamination source removed, state officials say
Research has found that once a contamination source is removed from a farm, PFAS levels in livestock will drop to the point that products derived from the animals can be sold to consumers, officials said at a public forum last week.
Posted inLocal & State
Early round of PFAS testing of groundwater finds 75% of Maine sites within safe levels
The state last year tested more than 1,600 private wells seen as high-priority sites, and inspectors this year will test hundreds more for groundwater contamination.
Posted inLocal & State
New research lab could give Maine an edge in fight against PFAS contamination chemicals
The University of Maine plans to create a lab to support research that could help farmers with contaminated soils and crops.
Posted inLocal & State
Maine farmers honored for speaking out against PFAS contamination
The farmers who received the Paul Birdsall Award from Maine Farmland Trust have been impacted by PFAS contamination and have spoken publicly about their experiences and advocated for more financial support for fellow farmers.
Posted inBusiness, Nation & World, News
Spurred by regulators, 3M to phase out ‘forever chemicals’
The decision comes after environmental regulators designated the chemicals — used in nonstick frying pans, water-repellent sports gear, stain-resistant rugs, cosmetics and countless other consumer products – as hazardous substances.